Valve



Patented Dec. 29, 1942 VALVE Wiley Noble,.Houston, Tex., assigner to Reed l Roller Bit Company, Houston, Tex., a corporation of Texas Application September 11, 1939,' Serial'No. 294,269

8 Claims.

This invention relates to valves, and has for its general object the provision of a valve which may be easily opened or closed under pressure from either direction. v

Itis a well known fact that valves-of the gate valve type which are customarily formed in'a sort of wedge shape for the purpose-ot forcing them tightly against their seats, are difficult to open or close under pressure. This is because when the valve element is wedged in place and pressure placed on it from one side or the other, the pressure causes a tremendous friction between the valve element and its seat which is in addi- .tion to the friction caused by the wedging section between the valve and its seat. It is an object of this invention to provide a valve in which this frictional resistance to movement of. the valve element will be reduced to a minimum.

It is a further object of this invention to `provide a valve inwhich there will be a'substantially uniform flow opening through the valve element when it is in its open position.

Another object of this inventionfis to provide a construction of the type set forth in' which the valve element will be lrmly seated against its seats both in open and in ,closed position.

Mounted within the bod-y `I and'having parts surrounding the respective flow openings 1 and 8 there are positioned valve seating elements carrying `guides. and designated Jby the numerals Other objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accoxr1v panying drawings wherein is set forth by way of illustration and example one embodiment of this invention:

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a vertical `cross section through a.

valve constructed in accordance with this invention, showing the same in open position.

Fig. 2 is a similar viewof the same valve inv closed position.

Fig. 3 is a vertical cross section of the valve shown in Fig. 2 taken at right angles to Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a horizontal cross section taken along the line 4--4 of Fig. 3.

The valve body is indicated at I and is closed at its upper end by means of the usual bonnet 2 secured in place by means of bolts 3. Intermediate the body I and the bonnet 2 there is secured a ring element 4 which is for a purpose presently to be described. Between the element 4 and the body I there is inserted a sealing means 5 and a metallic or other sealing ring 6 is inserted between the element 4 and the bonnet 2.

The vvalve body is provided on opposite sides with flow openings I and 8 respective1y, adapted to receive the flow lines 9 and I0 respectively.

II and I2,y respectively. Each ofuthese elements II and I2 has a part whichis .countersunkinto the inner face of the body I to prevent slippage of such partwith respect to the body I as' the valve is opened and .closed.

The bonnet is providedy with a .stulng'box I3 in which are mounted packing ringsorV other packing'rneans I4 adapted to beheld in place by means of a gland I5. The gland I5 in turn is secured tolthe bonnet 2 by means .ofbolts I6. The bonnet 2' is also .provided with a thrust receiving means in the form of a box II below the packing box I3, which box II-has a pair of thrust washers I8 therein, and these thrust washers are held in position by means of a plug I-9 .threaded4 into the bonnet from the interior thereof. l

Passing through the boxes I3` and I'I- is a screw shaft 20 having a hand wheell'ZI or othermeans for rotating it on itsupper end. This shaft is also provided with an integral laterally.y extending ilange 22 which fits between the -two washers I8 `and serves'as a thrust bearing for the shaft 20v to prevent it from moving longitudinally.

l Slidably mounted between the guides Hand I2are a pair of slides 23 andr24 respectively"l which go` tov make up the composite valve element of this invention. Theseslides are each formed l with openings 25 and 26 adapted when the rel spective slides are in their upper position to regh ister with the openings through the guides II and I2. Theseopening's 25 and 26 are connected .with each other by means of an expansible cylindrical connector 21 having circumferential corrugations 28 and 29 that make possible the longitudinal expansion and contraction of this element. It will be seen that with this element between them, the slides 23 and 24 mav actually move away from each other to seat firmly against ytheir respective seats without interrupting the continuity of the connection between them.

At their upper ends, the slides areprovided with complementari7 notched openings adapted to receive the nut 30, this nut being of such a size that it cannot escape from between the two slides 23 and 24 and of such a size that it will prevent a substantial amount of vertical movement of these slides with respect to each other. This nut 30 is threaded to receive thev threaded portion 3| of the screw shaft 20"' so that when the screw shaft 20 is rotatedthe nut 30 and the slides 23 and 24 will be moved upwardly or downwardly depending upon the direction oi rotation of the shait 20.

The slides 23 and 24 are normally spring pressed away from each other and against their respective seats by means oi springs 32 interposed between them.

Each of the slides 23 and 24 is also provided adjacent its opposite edges with lugs which extend toward the opposite slide, those on the slide 23 being designated by the numerals 33 and 34 respectively, and those on the slide 24 being designated by the numerals 35 and 36 respectively. It will be seen that these lugs are formed in pairs and that the lugs on the respective slides are complementary to each other, the upper sets of lugs being beveled on their lower and inner faces and the lower sets of lugs being beveled on their upper and inner faces.

Secured to and depending from the ring 4 within the valve body are a pair of arms 3l and 38 respectively, which carry on their lower ends double wedges in the form of diamond shape members 39 and 40 respectively.

In operation, the valve just described is opened or closed in the usual manner by means of the hand wheel 2l. Referring to Figs. l and 2 for example, if the hand wheel shown in Fig. l be rotated to the right, the nut 3l! will be moved downwardly and will move the slides 23 and 24 until these slides are at the lower extremity of their movement, in which position the solid portions of these slides will overlie the openings through the guides I I and I2. During this movement, these slides will be pressed against their `guides by means of the springs 32 only.

When the slides reach the lower extremity of their travel as shown in Fig. 2 the upper lugs 33 and 35 on the respective slides will come into engagement with the upper wedge-shaped portions of the double wedge members 39 and 40, and as downward movement of these slides is continued, they willbe wedged toward their respective guides so as to seat and seal rmly thereagainst.

If now it be desired to open the valve, the

hand wheel is rotated to the left, and the hrstl movement of the nut 30 will tend to pull the slides 23 and 24 upwardly, thus moving them away from the wedges l39 and 40 and relieving y be seated against their respective seats on the guides I I and I2, but this time they will be seated with their openings and 26 in alignment with the openings through the guides and with the ilow openings 'l and 8 in the body of the valve. As they are thus wedged apart, the expansible member 21 will accommodate for this movement and will when they are so wedged apart serve to form a continuous connection between them.

It will be seen that the double wedge elements 39 and 40 are located substantially in alignment with the central line of the fiow openings through the valve body and hence on substantially the same level with the central portions of the seats upon which the slides are adapted to seat. Thus,

the forces with which these slides are moved against their seats will be exerted upon them at positions substantially in alignment with the seats, thus insuring uniform seating and a more perfect seal.

It will be seen also from the foregoing that a valve has been provided which is capable of being easily opened and closed even though heavy pressure may be exerted against it, that'a valve has been provided in which a substantially continuous fluid flow passageway is provided through the valve when it is open, and that a valve has been provided which is capable of carrying out and accomplishing all of the other objects and advantages sought by this invention.

Having described my invention, I claim:

l. In a valve, in combination, a valve body having flow openings therein, a pair of valve kelements within said valve body and movable to and from closed position over said flow openings, each of said valve elements having an opening therein adapted to register with its respective flow opening when said valve is in open position, and an extensible continuous conduit extending between the said openings in the respective .valve elements to form a continuous fluid path between the flow openings of said valve when the valve is in open position.

2. In a Valve, in combination, a valve body having ilow openings therein, a pair of valve elements within said valve body and movable to and from closed position over said flow openings, each of said valve elements having an opening therein adapted to register with its respective flow opening when said valve is in open posi'- tion, an extensible continuous conduit extend- Ying between the said openings inA the respective valve elements to form a continuous fluid path between the flow openingsof said valve when the valve is in open position, and wedging means for wedging said elements apart and into cngagement with said flow openings when said elements are moved to either extreme open or closed position. v

3. In a valve, in combination, a valve body having flow openings therein, a pair of valve elements Within said valve body and movable to and from closed position over said flow openings, each of said valve elements having an opening therein adapted to register with its respective ow opening when said valve is in open position, an extensible conduit extending between the said openings in the respective Valve elements to form a continuous iiuid path between the flow openings of said valve when the valve is in open position, and wedging means in alignment with a central plane of said ilow openings for wedfzing said elements into engagement with said flow openings respectively when said elements are in either extreme open or closed position.

4. In a valve, in combination, a valve body having flow openings therein, a pair of valve elements within said valve body and movable to and from closed position over said ow openings, each of said valve elements having an opening therein adapted to register with its respective flow opening when said valve is in open position, an extensible continuous conduit extending between the said openings in the respective valve elements to form a continuous fluid path between the flow openings of said valve when the valve is in open position, and a double wedging member interposed between said. elements in alignment with a central plane of said now openings, and cooperating wedging surfaces on l said elements said valve elements having an opening therein` adapted to register with its respective flow opening when said valve is in open position, an extensible continuous conduit extending between the said openings in the respective valve elements to form a, continuous fluid path between the fiow'openings of said valve when the valve is in open position, a pair of guides havingparts seated in said flow openings respectively and providing guiding means for said elements and seats for said elements about saidow openings, and

a pair of double wedge members interposed between said elements in substantial alignment with a central plane of said flow openings, and cooperating wedge surfaces on said elements adapted to cooperate with said members when said elements approach either extremity of movement to wedge them against their seats.

6. In a valve, in combination, a valve body having flow openings therein, a pair of valve elements within said valve body and movable to and from closed position over said flow openings, each of said valve elements having an opening therein adapted to register with its respective flow opening when said valve is in open position, a pair of guides having parts seated in said iiow openings respectively and providing guiding means for said extremity of movement to wedge them against their seats. y

7. In a valve, a valve body having iiow openings and an open end, a bonnet closing the open end of the body, means for securing the bonnet to said valve body, a support secured between the body and bonnet, a pair of slides Within said valve body and slidable to and from positions closing said flow openings respectively, means for moving said slides to and from closed positions simultaneously, arms extending from said support between said slides, and means carried `by arms adjacent the flow openings for wedging said slides into firmly seated positions against said respec- 8. In a valve, a valve body havingflow openings and an open end, a bonnet closing the open elements and seats for said elements about said flow openings, and a pair of stationary double wedge members interposed between said elements in substantial alignment with a central plane of said flow openings, and cooperating wedge surfaces on said elements adapted to cooperate with said members when said elements approach either end of the body, means for securing the bonnet to said valve body, a support secured between the body and bonnet, a pair of slides within said valve body and slidable to and from positions closing said flow openings respectively, having openings adjacent one end thereof to register with the flow opnings'when in open position and having imperforate portions adjacent the other end thereof for closing the flow openings when in closed position, means for simultaneously sliding the slides to and from open and closed positions, arms extending from said support between said slides, stationary spreading means carried by the arms adjacent the ilow openings, means on the slides adjacent the imperforate ends thereof for engaging the spreading means when the slides areV in closed position to spread the slides apart and force them against the ow openings, and means on the Aslides adjacent the ends having the openings therein for engaging the spreading means when the slide openings register with the flow openings to spreadthe slides apart and force them against the flow openings.

- WILEY NOBLE. 

